A SERMON OF MORTALITIE Preached at the Funerals of Mr. THOMAS MAN AT KINGSTON in SVRREY FEB xxi 1649. ISAIAH 40. VER 6 7 8. A voice said Cry And he said What shall I cry All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely the people is grasse The grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever LONDON Printed by RICHARD CONSTABLE for the Author 1650. To his honoured Freind Mr. ABRAHAM COLFE Minister and Pastor of the Church of CHRIST at Lewisham in Kent Honoured Sir IN reverence to your Person and in regard to your venerable Age J have made choice of you to be the Patron of this Funerall Sermon I present to your Eyes what lately you heard with your Eares It was Penned and Preached upon the occasion of your much esteemed Brothers death and at the solemnizing of his Funerals Your Christian VVisdome according to the pregnancy of your VVit and Apprehension hath approved hereof and recommended it to the Presse I intended it should have ended in the delivery of it but yeelding to your just importunity and the benefit of some private Freinds I have made it publique Besides these are dying Times and mine is but a Sermon of Death to the Living All that I desire is to mind us of our Mortalitie to mind us of our Condition that we are here as Strangers and Pilgrims that we have here no abiding nor continuing City that we dwell in houses of clay whose foundations are in the dust which shortly must be broken in peeces The Lord fit us for the day of dissolution and the houre of our departure The Lord grant that our last houre may be our best hour that our work may be done before our day be done That when we shall come to die we may have nothing else to doe but to die For the hour of death will be the busie hour then Satan will be busie and Conscience will be busie These things the Lord of Heaven and Earth root in our hearts Sir I desire the Almighty God to bless and prosper you the Lord accomplish unto you your honourable and charitable intentions And so I rest Yours in all Christian observancie truly devoted R. G. IN OBITVM Viri Amplissimi Integerrimi THOMAE MAN Civis LONDINIENSIS AD Dn. ABRAHAMVM COLFIVM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fratrem Ecclesiae Lewishamensis in Cantijs Ministrum Pastorem Vigilantissimum V. B. REIP. N. PRINCIPIBUS nasci claroque à sanguine Regum In fortuitis praedicant veteres Sophi At non Principibus diversus contigit ortus Quà m qui tenenti sarculū obdurâ manu Sed repetunt etiam prima incunabula illi Et sortiuntur funera cum plebe paria Nam neque fas Hominis prognatum semine quenquam Est quicquid Humanum à se alienum credere Huic quoque natus HOMO cùm sit tam Nomine quà m Re Obire certum est omnia vitae munia Extremo moriens igitur neque deficit actu Sed sup rema jura naturae subit Hoc voluit rerum series supremus ordo Et Universi lex stabiles servans vices AT met as inter longinquas mortis ortus Quid deceat Hominem publico natum bono Id verò obnixâ est sapientis quaerere curâ Et quo perennet maximè nomen modo Hoc docuit longo concessae tempore vitae Et mortuus quoque Noster hic adhuc docet Inprimis celebrare Deum Christique benignis Meritis reponere unicam fiduciam Dein Hominem natum sese meminisse nec ultrà Humana quâm quod vis queat contendere Et casus contra firmato incedere vultu Humanitúsque ferre quaecunque accidant Seque parem magnis praestare doloribus illos Frangendo mentis strenuae patientiâ Spargere per populos varia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latè Quà mplurimis benefacere mortalibus Posse voluptates luxum spernere mollem Virtutis uti rigidum decet satellitem Pectora cui tandem sunt has exculta per artes Laticésque veri luminis vidit sacros Ille lubens gratánsque potest occurrere fato Haud esse fortuita Noster haec docet Ita censuit GVLIEL BVRTONVS Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripsit Regiovici ad Thamesim in Regnis A SERMON OF Mortalitie IOB 14. VER 14. If a man die shall he live againe All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my Change come IN this Chap. tanquam in Speculo as in a Glasse you may behold Statum humanum Mans State and Condition His lamentable Ingression into the VVorld his sad Progression in the VVorld and his miserable Egression out of the VVorld The originall of this disquiet and trouble is GODS Curse on the Woman Man that is borne of a Woman is of short daies and full of trouble ver 1. In the following Verses he is likened to a Flower for his fading to a Shadow for his declining and his daies to the daies of a Hireling Nay hee sheweth mans bodily condition to be worse then a Tree for a Tree cut downe may grow againe in the same place but a man cannot Ver. 7. for there is hope of a Tree if it be cut downe that it will sprout againe and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Ver. 8. though the Root wax old in the Earth and the Stock thereof dye in the Ground Ver. 9. yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth Boughs like a Plant Ver. 10. But Man dyeth and wasteth away is weakned or cut off yea man giveth up the ghost and where is he In regard of bodily life he is not he lieth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their Sleep This Verse that I have chosen for the present Occasion acquaints us with these three things 1. The Frailtie of this life present 2. The Certaintie of the life to come 3. Our Care and Watchfulnesse to be performed in the one that we may enter into the other First we have our fraile Condition in these words If a man die Implying by force of Logick this peremptory Proposition Man must die Secondly the Certaintie of our Resurrection in these words by way of Question Shall he live againe Where by a Question of Admiration he puts it out of all doubt and question That man dying shall surely rise and live againe Thirdly the Duty of waiting for this Dissolution and Restitution of the Body in these words All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my Change come The words afford us three Doctrines First the End and Terme of life is appointed and die we must by ordinary Prescription and this is Mors in olla Death is our Lot Secondly a Change shall come by Death and there
shall be a generall Resurrection and this is Spes in Urnâ Hope in the Grave Thirdly we ought daily to Prepare for Death and to live in continuall Expectation thereof and this is Viaticum in via Provision in the way First the Term of our life is appointed and die we must no avoyding hereof And that for these Reasons First it is GODS Will and Decree ver 5. His daies are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast set his bounds that he cannot passe As he set bounds to the Sea hither shalt thou come and no further so thus long shalt thou live and no longer 39 Psal 5. Thou hast made my daies saith David as an hands breadth If GOD hath made them but an hands breadth who can make them longer Pilate would not alter his Writing 19 Joh. 22. Nor GOD his Decree that is gone out It was the first Doctrine preached to man after his Fall 3 Gen. 19. Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Not by any necessity of his created Nature but because he finned GOD threatneth to make his End as base as his Beginning Die then we must Dance all in Deaths Ring sooner or later we shall be cut downe by the Axe of Death to be Fuell for Burning or Timber for Building to become a cursed Brand in Satans Furnace or a blessed Beam in CHRISTS Palace GOD hath passed upon Adams Posterite this sentence of Temporall Condemnation Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne All of us without some extraordinary Dispensation as that of Enoch and Elias was are liable to the same 5 Gen. 24. 2 Kings 2.11 Secondly through the contagion of originall Sinne Sinne is the wicket that let Death into the World 5 Rom. 12. As by one man Sinne entred into the World and Death by Sinne and so Death passed upon all men for all have sinned Sinne hath given Death much advantage and victory over humane nature that the kernell of a Raison yea a haire in Milk hath choaked and killed a man as it did Anacreon * Val. Max. lib. 9. cap. 12. and Fabius the Romane and layd him lower then the beasts of the earth for they lie upon the ground while he is layd under it Thirdly from the Matter whereof the body of man consists The originall of mans body is Dust 2 Gen. 7. Homo ab humo Not any durable matter as Marble and Rocks against which the Winds blowing and the Waves beating cannot prevaile 7 Mat. 25. but like Dust before the Wind 18 Psal 42. 4 Iob. 19. Wee dwell in houses of clay whose foundations are in the dust i. e. in mortall bodies subject to corruption which are crushed before the Moth sooner and with lesse labour then the Moth is crushed which is killed onely with a little touch 2 Corinth 5.1 The Apostle calls it an Earthly house or Tabernacle For wee know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved c. St. Paul who was a * 18 Acts 3. St. Paul exercised a handy-craft wrought with Aquila whose Trade was to make Tents of skins then much in use in those hot countries view Anot. on the Acts Tent-maker elegantly compareth our body to a Tent and that in many regards First a Tent or Tabernacle is easily raised up and as easily taken down and spoyled so is our body by sicknesse or outward violence come but one ill night one little touch of a Feaver some paine in the Side or imperfection in the Lungs come the stone in the Bladder Abijt illa universa Scaena all the Stage vanisheth Secondly a Tent is a moveable House or Habitation so are our Bodies which are now like Tents pitched upon the Earth but shall be hereafter transported into Heaven Thirdly a Tent is foule without and soild with Wind and Weather so the Body and Outside of man is but vile and contemptible subject to blasts and stormes exposed to all the violence of Nature Now that I may the better rivet the Truth into your Minds and Memories consider with me that the walke of Death is Vniversall not some men die but all all that have breath must lose it and all that have life must leave it as the Woman of Tekoah told K. David 2 Sam. 14. cap. We must all dye you a Soveraigne and I a Subject you a Man and I a Woman We must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up againe Wee shall all be desperately lost I have seen an end of all perfection said Holy David 119 Psal 96. There is nothing so perfect on Earth but it hath an end David had a sight of this Happy are they which have Davids Eyes It concernes us to looke into this matter And GOD requires us to listen to the Proclamation of mans Mortality that he makes by his Prophet 40 Isaiah 6. * Quia per nativitatem viret in carne per juventutem candescit in flore per mortem aret in pulvere Greg. in Ps 5. Paenitent A Voice said cry And he said What shall I cry All flesh is grasse and all the goodnesse the gracefulnesse the glory thereof is as the flawer of the field GOD would have the Prophet discover the Vanitie of all humane Excellency to cry it in the Eares of the People to make such a noyse that might rouze a man that were slumbring awake a man that were sleeping move a man that were musing so carefull is GOD that you should learne this Lesson For First no Eminency of Office or Dignity can priviledge thee though thou sittest in the Chaire of Earthly Dignity Death will pull thee thence 82 Psal 6. I sayd yee are * Nuncupativè non Substantivè Gods by Name not by Nature but yee shall dye like men No Title of Honour shall excuse you die you must and render an account as well as other men Wee have seen this Truth verified in our daies Hee that made the Earth of nothing can marre the greatest in a moment Hee bringeth Potentates to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the Earth as Vanity 40 Isa 23. Hee poureth contempt upon Princes sayes Job 12.21 And looseth the Girdle of the Strong i. e. For their VVickednesse and Tyrannie He causeth their People and Subjects to contemne them Secondly no Strength or Statelinesse of any Place or Palace can protect thee Xenoph. in Apolog. pro Socrat. Socrates would live no longer unlesse his Freinds could tell him of a place without the Territories of Athens where men never die And it was a pretty Answer of Hormisda the Persian Ambassadour to Constantius the Emperour demanding of him how he liked the Citie of Rome with the Amphitheatrum the Capitolium and other such rich Monuments as were shewed unto him In truth I thinke it the most glorious Citie in the World * Id tantum sibi placuisse quod didicis set ibi quoque homines mori Ammian Marcell
young and strong Remember thy death in the daies of thy youth in the daies of thy strength before sicknesse and weaknesse seize upon thee Lay not the greatest burthen on the weakest beast Adjourne not the longest journey to the shortest day A whole life is but short enough to provide for Death We are a week providing for a Feast a moneth preparing for a Wedding three moneths deliberation about a Bargaine And will we make no provision no preparation for this aforehand We take time to make provision for the buriall of the dead And shall we take no care to provide for Death it self Many men never think of Death untill Death come and take away their thinking Think upon it I beseech you in season whoever thou art that hearest me this day whether freind or foe stranger or familiar be not deceived the great God of Heaven and Earth the great Determiner of time and daies hath allotted thee such a portion of time which thou shalt not passe Death * Rev. 6.8 mounted on his pale horse is posting towards thee Here is not thy abode nor rest thou dwellest a House of clay in a Tent pitch'd up to day and removed to morrow Thou art a Didapper peening up and down in a moment depart thou must and be gone God knows how soon First then this may reach us watchfulnesse we know not the hour goe let us watch every houre We know not the hour wherein Death the Lords Handmaide with the broom of sickness or sorrow will sweep us away as the maide doth the spiders house 2. It may teach us to provide for things Eternall what ever becomes of Temporals for Death will strip us of all 3. Labour to bid Death welcome How shall I doe this First follow the precious Counsell of Christ * Mat. 6.20 Lay up Treasure for your selves in Heaven Which are Workes of Pietie and Deeds of Charity they will comfort you in Death and accompany you to Heaven 2. Looke carnestly to things that are above To GOD to IESUS CHRIST who sits at Gods right hand carrying on the great worke of Mans Redemption So did * Acts 7.55 Stephen in that extraordinary vision he saw the admirable Glory of Christ in Heaven 3. Live after the Laws of the new Ierusalem become a new creature be borne againe he that is borne but once shall die twice and he that is borne twice shall die but once 4. Labour to get an assurance of the forgivenesse of thy Sinnes Labour to finde God reconciled unto thee Labour to feele the power of CHRISTS Death and the vertue of His Resurrection 5. Live in all good Conscience they that live in all good Conscience till their dying day shall depart in abundance of Comfort at their dying day Get a good Conscience and keep a good Conscience that when thou shalt come to die though thou want the benefit of a comforting Minister thy Conscience may supply the place of a comforting Minister and may be the same to thee as the Angell was to CHRIST in His Agony and minister such comfort unto thee as may make thee ready for joy to leap into the grave Lastly be willing to die feare it not IESUS CHRIST was once among the dead thou must follow him through the horrours of the grave Art thou a child of God Hast thou given up thy Name to IESUS CHRIST Though Death invade the naturall powers of thy body and suppresse them though Death breake in upon this lodging of clay and demolish it to the ground yet be in no wise daunted thy death is but like the renting of * Gen. 39. Iosephs garment from him the man of God fled and left his garment in the hand of his Mistrisse So a child of God escapes out of the hands of Death without danger Vivendo decrescit transeundo nos terit he leaves his garment in the hands of Deaâ—h i. e. his body which like a garment the longer we weare it will be the worse for wearing The dissolving of the body to the man of God is but the unfolding of the Net and breaking open the Prison that the Soule which was prisoner may escape Here is notable comfort for the man of God He hath a life in him which no death can extinguish though the body descend into the grave the Lord will take it out againe He will not leave it in the grave neither cast off the care thereof but shall watch over the dust therof though it taste of corruption it shall not perish in corruption The Holy Ghost who dwelt in the body shal be unto it as a Balm to preserve it to Immortality This same flesh and no other for it though it should be dissolved into innumerable pickles of dust shall be raised againe and quickned by the omnipotent power of the eternall Spirit of GOD. Occasion I now come to the Occasion Something I shall say of this deceased Gentleman here arrested before our eyes for a debt of Nature I shall not praise his Birth nor his Education nor his Profession but as * Hierom Epitaph Mar. Hierom said of Marcella that godly Woman Nihil in illa laudabo nisi quod proprium I will praise nothing in him but what was proper and peculiar to him Consider him as a Man Husband Christian And we shall find him a patterne worthy imitation 1. Consider him as a man As a man he had his Infirmities For Lord what is man 8 Ps An infirme fraile creature many and great infirmities we labour under as we are men We have strong Corruptions in us as we are men we can doe no thing but Sinne Yet this I may safely deliver of him that he kept himselfe or rather GOD by His Grace kept him from those Sinnes against which Holy David prayed * Ps 19.13 Lord keep thy servant from presumpteous sinnes Wee are are naturally prone to great sinnes he was not a strong Sinner O the strength of sin in our daies Notwithstanding Admonitions Iudgements Mercies men goe on still in sinnes No reformation no amendment we were sinners before the Wars and we are sinners still He was none of these 2. Consider him as a Husband And there he observed the rule of the Apostle * Col. 3.19 Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter against them He lived lovingly with his Wife in the sacred Conjunction of their GOD six and thirtie yeares together Children he had none that lived but a chearfull respecter of them whom Law and Love had made his own No Lyon in his house no Tyrant among his servants freindly affable courteous towards his Neighbours observing another precept of the Apostle * Rom. 12.16 equalling himself to them of low degree whereby he gained love and lost nothing of his reputation 3. Consider him as a Christian And so hee was 1. Peaceable 2. Humble 3. Charitable 4. Devout Foure most infallible evidences as I take them of a true Christian and